Ectomycorrhizal fungal community associated with naturally regenerating Pinus densiflora Sieb. et Zucc. seedlings on exposed granite slopes along woodland paths

We investigated the ectomycorrhizal (EcM) fungal community of naturally regenerating Pinus densiflora seedlings on exposed decomposed granite (DG) slopes along woodland paths in the Republic of Korea. We sampled three- to five-year-old seedlings from slopes where DG was exposed (habitat S) and from the surrounding forest edge or gaps (habitat F). We classified EcMs into morphological groups and counted the number of root tips. The fungal taxa were determined by sequencing the internal transcribed spacer region of their nuclear rDNA. We observed a total of 27 EcM fungal taxa. Atheliaceae and Rhizopogon were the dominant taxa on exposed DG slopes. The fungal species compositions were similar between habitats (0.59 as calculated by the Morishita–Horn index). Fourteen fungal taxa were common to both habitats, and these accounted for more than 90% of the relative abundance in each habitat. There were no significant differences in relative abundance and colonization frequency of each EcM fungal taxon between the habitats, except for Russula sp. 2, which was significantly more frequent in habitat F than in habitat S. Our results indicated that P. densiflora seedlings on exposed DG slopes associated with EcM fungi that were common in forests and not specific to the exposed DG slopes.     

Bamboo nanofiber preparation by HCW and grinding treatment and its application for nanocomposite

A new approach to prepare cellulose nanofiber was attempted using the combined method of hot-compressed water (HCW) treatment and disk milling. The HCW treatment was effective in loosening the cell wall structure and enhancing fibrillation by disk milling. The fibrillated products showed fine fibrous morphology at the nanometer scale. Filtration time and specific surface area were measured as criteria of the degree of fibrillation, and both these values were increased in nanofibers obtained by disk milling after HCW treatment. The obtained nanofiber-reinforced polyurethane composite was prepared, and its tensile properties were drastically improved by the increased nanofiber content.     

Influence of Watershed Topography on the Chemistry of Stream Water in a Mountainous Area

Water, Air, & Soil Pollution - The relation among the mean slope angle of a watershed, the stream water quality, and the chemical composition of the plagioclase component of granite was...     

Isoprenoid-substituted flavonoids from wood of Artocarpus heterophyllus on B16 melanoma cells: Cytotoxicity and structural criteria

As a result of cytotoxicity-guided fractionation, nine flavonoids, artocarpin (1), cudraflavone C (2), 6-prenylapigenin (3), kuwanon C (4), norartocarpin (5), albanin A (6), cudraflavone B (7), brosimone I (8) and artocarpanone (9) were identified from the methanol extract of the wood of Artocarpus heterophyllus, known commonly as Nangka in Indonesia. A structure–activity investigation of the effect of these isolated compounds (1–9) and structurally related compounds on B16 melanoma cells indicated that isoprenoid moiety substitutions in flavonoids enhance their cytotoxicity, and that the position of attachment and the number of isoprenoid-substituent moieties per molecule influence flavonoid cytotoxicity.     

Gibberella ear rot of corn caused by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fusarium asiaticum</Emphasis> in Japan

Ear rot with white or pink mold was found on corn (Zea mays L.). A species of Fusarium, not registered previously as a pathogen causing Gibberella ear rot of corn in Japan, was isolated from the rotted ear. The isolates, identified as F. asiaticum based on morphological characteristics and nucleotide sequences, caused white or pink mold on corn ear after inoculation. Moreover, the 3-acetyl deoxynivalenol chemotype and the nivalenol chemotype were found in the isolates. We propose to include F. asiaticum as one of the pathogens causing Gibberella ear rot of corn in Japan.     

Persistence of virus-neutralizing antibodies in horses inoculated with two doses of a live equine herpesvirus type 1 vaccine with different vaccination intervals

The antibody response in horses inoculated with 2 doses of a live equine herpesvirus type 1 vaccine with different vaccination intervals (1 to 3 months) was evaluated with regard to the persistence of virus-neutralizing (VN) antibodies. The durations for which the geometric mean VN titers were maintained significantly higher than those before the first vaccination (P<0.05) were up to 5 months in horses that received the vaccination with a 1-month interval (n=17) and 7 months for those that received it with a 2-month (n=17) or 3-month interval (n=14 or 17). The vaccination program with the 2-month interval was the most effective in maintaining VN antibodies for a long duration with the smallest gap of antibody decline between the first and second vaccinations.     

Comparison of the behavior of skipjack (Katsuwonus pelamis), yellowfin (Thunnus albacares) and bigeye (T. obesus) tuna associated with drifting FADs in the equatorial central Pacific Ocean

We evaluated the behavior of skipjack (Katsuwonus pelamis), yellowfin (Thunnus albacares) and bigeye tuna (T. obesus) associated with drifting fish aggregating devices (FADs) in the equatorial central Pacific Ocean. A total of 30 skipjack [34.5–65.0 cm in fork length (FL)], 43 yellowfin (31.6–93.5 cm FL) and 32 bigeye tuna (33.5–85.5 cm FL) were tagged with coded transmitters and released near two drifting FADs. At one of the two FADs, we successfully monitored the behavior of all three species simultaneously. Several individuals remained around the same FAD for 10 or more days. Occasional excursions from the FAD were observed for all three species, some of which occurred concurrently for multiple individuals. The detection rate was higher during the daytime than the nighttime for all the species, and the detection rate for bigeye tuna was higher than for yellowfin or skipjack tuna. The swimming depth was deeper during the daytime than nighttime for all species. The fish usually remained shallower than 100 m, but occasionally dived to around 150 m or deeper, most often for bigeye and yellowfin tuna during the daytime. The swimming depth for skipjack tuna was shallower than that for bigeye and yellowfin tuna, although the difference was not large, and is probably not sufficient to allow the selective harvest of skipjack and yellowfin tuna by the purse seine fishery. From the detection rate of the signals, bigeye tuna is considered to be more vulnerable to the FAD sets than yellowfin and skipjack tuna.     

Accelerated neutrophil apoptosis in 2 canine cases of hepatic disorder

Accelerated neutrophil apoptosis was confirmed by TUNEL assay in two canine cases of hepatic disorder. One dog was diagnosed as having lymphocytic hepatitis and the other lymphocytic cholangitis by histopathology of liver biopsy specimen.